


Green Eyes

by tetsubinatu



Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-09
Updated: 2012-04-09
Packaged: 2017-11-03 08:03:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tetsubinatu/pseuds/tetsubinatu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has a girlfriend.  Arthur thinks she's a hussy. (Rating is for language)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hells_samaritan](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=hells_samaritan).



> This was written in a fic exchange in January 2010 for hells_samaritan’s prompt, which was for Merlin/Arthur and a jealous Arthur.

Merlin was whistling in the mornings. It had taken Arthur a week to notice, but when he thought back he could pin it to the morning after the Midwinter Feast. He'd grinned at Merlin that morning and joked that his servant must have had a good time at the Feast, but he'd been concentrating on his breakfast at the time and he could remember no reaction from Merlin either way.

Merlin had stopped wearing those awful scarves around his neck. Arthur wasn't used to that much expanse of neck on show. It was actually rather distracting - just because he wasn't used to it, Arthur guessed. Instead of a flash of red neckerchief as his manservant went about the chores there was a flash of long, pale neck. Odd to have given up a layer of warmth in the middle of winter - even if it did make him look far less the country bumpkin.

Merlin had taken to whipping through his chores and disappearing. Not that he had ever been overly fond of service or been reliably available for that matter, but his method of avoidance had generally been dawdling over the chores, not doing them in a rush and disappearing.

And worst of all, Arthur hadn't had a clue what any of this meant until Gwen told him. Gwen! Now that she was acting as Gaius' apprentice Arthur was seeing less of her and Merlin had been officially freed from Gaius' service, but nevertheless Arthur had sought Merlin in Gaius' chambers when his vambrace needed urgent repairs. Gwen had smiled briskly, clearly intent on the pot she was stirring, and suggested that he look in the bakery since Elana was a baker's apprentice.

At Arthur's blank look she had pursed her lips reprovingly and said, "Elana, sire? Merlin's girlfriend?"

Arthur wasn't going to admit that he had never heard of Elana before that moment. He would rather that Gwen believed - as she clearly did - that he had forgotten the girl's name.

"Bakery," he muttered, giving Gwen a nod of thanks that she didn't even notice, frowning down at her bubbling pot. Arthur closed the door behind him with a snap.

He hadn't needed to enter the bakery. Merlin and ... Elana .... were loitering behind the ovens as he approached. She was leaning coyly back against a wall, her hair wrapped in a green scarf and her face tilted up to Merlin's. Merlin had a hand on her hip and he was smiling down at her with proprietary affection.

It wouldn't do. A tart from the bakery, for Merlin? Owain had always said that the bakery tarts were easy, and poor Merlin probably didn't have a clue.

Elana spotted him before Merlin did, her green eyes widening as the Prince bore down on them with a face of thunder. Merlin turned to see what had startled her, his face dropping into an expression of resignation as Arthur stomped up to him.

"My vambrace is a mess and I need it after lunch," he snapped without preamble. "And if I find you slacking off in the bakery yards again I'll have you put in the stocks."

"Where is it?" Merlin said grumpily, rolling his eyes but moving away from the hussy with only a backward glance and an apologetic shoulder shrug to her.

"On my table. I expect to find you there with it repaired when I return from eating with the knights," Arthur said curtly. Merlin didn't even look ashamed of his behaviour! "And I expected better of you, Merlin."

Merlin gave him a scornful look. "It'll be ready in time," he said, the insolence in his voice unmasked. They parted at the stairs, Merlin to the Prince's chambers and Arthur to the Knight's Common Area, where the others were already eating venison pie, bread and cheese. Arthur glowered at the bread and ripped it open with a certain savagery.

* * *

Merlin wouldn't hear a word against Elana. Arthur had only tried to warn him about what Owain had said, but Merlin had prickled up like a hedgehog and said slanderous things about Owain's standards. He'd ended up in the stocks for two hours and Arthur was sure that he had seen Elana keeping him company by the stocks for part of that time. Hussy.

Arthur missed Morgana at times like this. She would have understood the need to protect Merlin from girls like that. She wouldn't have been nice about it, but she would have understood. In her absence Arthur had tried complaining to Gwen, but Gwen had unaccountably refused to hear a word against the bakery servants, and her glare had become quite uncomfortable as he had tried to explain that he was only protecting Merlin from a girl who was probably trying to entrap him because of his good position in the Royal Household.

"You're judging her because of her station in life?" Gwen had said in arctic tones, and he'd been so caught up in explaining that this was _Merlin_ and that no girl from the bakery could possibly be... Well, it was only when Gwen had practically ordered him out of the room that he had realised that she might, just possibly, have taken it as a reflection on her own situation.

But she was _Gwen_. She was special. He was pretty sure that she wasn't going to accept that as an excuse though. He would have Merlin send her flowers in the morning. It couldn't hurt.

* * *

Merlin kept on seeing that Elana girl. Arthur forbade him from skiving off during the day but he couldn't do much about his off hours, which was why the prospect of the next outer perimeter patrol was looming unpleasantly in his mind. He'd be away for a week, and Merlin would have nothing to do for the entire time but make up to that girl.

"Are you using a sheath, Merlin?" Arthur asked him one night. 

Merlin had given him a look of incredulous indignation. "That is absolutely none of your business, Your Highness. Sire." he snapped.

"I've written down the name of the supplier in town," Arthur had said, doggedly determined to see the conversation through, but Merlin had set his jaw and turned to face him with a martial look in his eye.

"I don't know why you're being so horrible about Elana, but you can just take your nose out of my business!" he hissed. "If I want to see her, I shall. If I want to... to sleep with her, and she wants to sleep with me, we will. And if I want to marry her and raise twelve children who will _all_ become bakers' apprentices, then there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

Arthur's jaw dropped. Before he had mustered up a single word, Merlin had left the room.

 _Marry_ her? Merlin had threatened to _marry_ her! A tart like that!

* * *

Gaius claimed that she was a 'nice girl'. He dismissed Owain's complaints as sour grapes, saying 'Owain did have rather a reputation among the servants, Sire' and when Arthur pointed out that this probably meant that he knew what he was talking about Gaius just sniffed doubtfully and bowed in that annoying way he had that meant he was humouring you. 

Arthur thought seriously of having Hunith fetched from Ealdor on swift horses, but when he thought about it some more he wasn't entirely sure that Hunith wasn't too nice. She'd probably even be pleased at the idea of grandchildren - women were like that, he was told.

There was nothing for it: Merlin would have to come on patrol. It was a complete nuisance because he was going to complain the whole way and slow them down if there was trouble, but Arthur wasn't about to abandon him to the clutches of that hussy for a whole week, so this was the way it had to be.

Merlin _did_ complain, but he was a better cook than Agravaine's squire, who would have been doing the cooking in his absence. He also had sort of knack of making the place seem cosy, whether they were camping or overflowing the bounds of a tiny inn. Arthur didn't know what it was - there was nothing he could put his finger on - but coming back to Merlin tending the fire just _felt_ nicer than if Dagobert had been doing it. And sharing a bedroll or a flea-infested inn bed with Merlin was definitely nicer than sharing with Gawain, who kicked like a mule in his sleep. Merlin smelled nicer. Even now that he had stopped working for Gaius he had a sort of herbal smell to him. Gawain smelled of unwashed wool.

Of course, Merlin was still annoyed with Arthur, so they didn't exactly snuggle up close when they got into the beds, but by the time Arthur woke up they were always spooned together, Arthur's arm slung over Merlin's belly and his face buried in Merlin's hair. Evidently Gawain's smell repelled Arthur even in sleep because he'd never woken up like that when he shared a bed with Gawain.

It was nice though. Warm. Arthur wasn't complaining.

And that was probably the one thing Merlin didn't complain of. Everything else - the weather, the food, the accommodation, the knights' sense of humour (well, Gwydion and Liam did have a taste for pranks) - all of these Merlin could complain about ad nauseam, but when the first grey light of dawn woke Arthur these days he could sometimes feel Merlin bony and agreeable in his arms, half-dozing until some noise from the outer world would break the moment and he would ease himself out of bed, quiet and dreamy still, to bring the fire back up and cook their breakfast.

Arthur didn't know why Merlin didn't stomp around and wake him with clattering these mornings, the way he never hesitated to do at home. But then, at home they didn't have to be on the road soon after first light, so it was probably just Merlin's natural contrariness to let him sleep in here, when oversleeping was unacceptable and wake him at home, where the mornings were usually his own for at least the first couple of hours.

On the last night of patrol they slept in a barn. It was part of the royal estate and Arthur regularly brought his patrols through there, merely sending a squire to let the estate steward know that they were using it that night. So close to home after an uneventful patrol the knights were in a good mood. They sat around the fire outside the barn eating a very tasty stew. Merlin had taken the message to the steward and come back with turnips and onions for the stew, fresh baked bread and a small keg of pale ale, a speciality of the estate. Every village and smallholding made their own ale, of course, but the ale from this estate was reckoned exceptionally good.

They would only be there a night, so no-one wanted the ale to go to waste. Merlin didn't drink much - Arthur knew he was a lightweight - but the knights were determined to do their best to finish the keg before sleeping.

"You'd do better to leave enough for the morning," Arthur warned, amused, but there was little danger this close to home and they were a merry bunch. Gawain had a good voice and he sang them several ballads before the drinking songs made an appearance. Across the fire Arthur watched Merlin soaking in the atmosphere. These patrols were so much a part of his life that Arthur sometimes forgot that Merlin wouldn't have known what to expect from one. Drinking songs, by their nature, are not difficult to learn and Merlin joined in the singing cheerfully, sipping his ale slowly and dipping his crust in it.

When the stories got more than a bit bawdy Merlin began to look less comfortable and Arthur thought it was time for them both to make a discreet exit. None of the knights would want Arthur to witness the sort of idiocy that they were likely to get up to at this stage of the evening. Tristan was still more or less sober, so Arthur slapped him on the shoulder as he stood up. "Try to keep them from setting fire to anything," he said. "I'm going to bed."

Arthur didn't think that it was his imagination that Merlin looked grateful to escape. "Me too," he said, stretching as he stood up from his seat between Gawain and Agravaine. They made their way into the barn together, and then Merlin said, "Oh - back in a minute," and headed back outside - call of nature, Arthur presumed. It was a good idea so he turned around himself, only to bump into Merlin blocking the doorway. "What.." he started, but Merlin reached up and put his hand over Arthur's mouth.

Liam had said something which Arthur had missed, but then Tristan replied, "Don't talk rubbish! Arthur wouldn't bring him on patrol just to fuck him! Besides, when have you ever seen Arthur with a boy?"

There was a general sort of hooting noise and before the remarks could get any worse Arthur pushed Merlin's hand aside, opened the door and stepped out. If he hadn't already heard the remarks the sudden silence would have made him suspicious but he pretended not to notice and went straight past them to a handy tree. The voices were lower as he returned and Merlin had evidently followed his example because he also returned a minute or two after that.

Merlin had laid out their bedrolls as usual. It was winter - _everyone_ shared bedrolls! Arthur had never given it a thought, even though everyone knew what Kay and Egbert did in _their_ bedroll. Most people shared quite innocently, though. He'd never thought that any suspicion could attach to _him_.

It was uncomfortable lying so close beside Merlin, knowing what was being said. "Liam's an idiot," Arthur said into the dark.

"Yeah, I know," Merlin replied. "At least Tristan has some common sense."

It must have been twenty minutes before Merlin turned and curled into Arthur like a puppy seeking comfort from a littermate. Arthur didn't know if he was awake, but he thought so. Merlin's breathing wasn't deep enough for true sleep. Neither of them spoke, though. Arthur lay there in the dark, breathing in the scent of hay and woodsmoke and the pleasant tang of herbs, Merlin warm and trusting at his side.

* * *

He'd been a bit of an idiot he supposed, but then again Tristan was right, as far as that went. Arthur hadn't brought Merlin along to fuck him - just to prevent him from fucking anyone else. And Arthur had never taken a boy to his bed for that purpose. He'd never even thought about it. Until now. 

But all the same, maybe Liam wasn't such an idiot because now that he did think about it...

It was possible that everyone else was right and this Elana ~~hussy~~ girl really was a nice girl. If there was anything wrong with her Gaius probably would have known, now that he came to think about it. And Gwen was very protective of Merlin, too. _She_ liked Elana.

Maybe Arthur just didn't want Merlin to look away from Arthur. Maybe...

Maybe if Merlin had been a girl Arthur would have noticed this a long time ago. Maybe if Merlin were a girl Arthur would have known that he liked Merlin's smell, and he liked his impudent, lush mouth. He liked the long curve of his neck and the lean stretch of his torso. He liked Merlin's laughing eyes and the way his shoulders set when he was angry. He liked the way he would turn around whenever some kind of trouble happened and Merlin was _always there_.

He wouldn't mind fucking Merlin at all. But Merlin had a girlfriend.

* * *

Arthur woke up just the same way he had every morning on patrol. In his arms Merlin was awake, but not yet stirring. At the sound of the first cock-crow he slipped out from Arthur's arms, but his eyes weren't dreamy this morning. He looked at Arthur with a steady, considering gaze and Arthur looked back, refusing to flinch. He hadn't known. He hadn't. 

Someone coughed and Merlin looked away, breaking the moment, then he made a sort of a rueful face and went to make breakfast. Motes of dust hung in the air where he had passed, shining in the morning light.

A moment later Arthur shook out his bedroll and rolled it up, then since he was first up he took a bucket to the well for the horses. Around him the knights were groaning awake or tucking themselves more firmly into their bedrolls in search of one last moment of oblivion. The smell of oatcakes enticed a few out of bed, but it wasn't going to be a quick getaway this morning unless Arthur cracked the whip, and he wasn't in the mood for confrontation so he drizzled his oatcakes with honey and sipped the last of the ale which Merlin had rescued for him from the tapped-out keg.

"Good oatcakes," he said when Merlin sat down beside him, letting Dagobert take over breakfast duties for a few moments.

"Elana's lovely," Merlin said quietly.

Arthur nodded. "So Gaius and Gwen said," he admitted.

"But I'd rather have you," Merlin concluded. He dropped his eyes to his breakfast, cutting his oatcake into very precise quarters. Then eighths.

Arthur thought his breath had been stolen from his body. He swallowed. The bravery in that sentence amazed him.

"You have me," he said, looking over at Merlin's blushing neck, his averted face.

Merlin breathed out, then ventured a look back at Arthur. "Really?" If he was really as surprised as he sounded then his bravery was even greater than Arthur had assumed.

"Yeah," Arthur said. "Just don't tell Liam; he's still an idiot."

Merlin grinned, and Arthur couldn't _wait_ to get him home and behind locked doors.

"Finish breakfast and saddle up!" he announced. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes!"

"You could have waited until I finished my breakfast!" Merlin complained.

Arthur threw back his head and laughed for pure joy.


End file.
